In Touch at Hazel Park First UMC

Transcription

1 In Touch at Hazel Park First UMC Newsletter for all those who worship at First United Methodist Church of Hazel Park 315 E. Nine Mile Rd. Hazel Park, Michigan Our Mission Statement: The mission of the First United Methodist Church of Hazel Park is to embrace every generation with the love of Jesus Christ through worship and fellowship that spiritually and physically enriches the individual, the community and the world. From the Pastor: Greetings Church, I d like to share a story that brought out and insight that is truly challenging the modern Church. It s about a young man name Roy Robertson who was a soldier at Pearl Harbor back in He reported that his ship, the West Virginia, was docked at Pearl Harbor on the evening of December 6, He and a few of his comrades had left the ship that night and attended a Bible study. About fifteen sailors sat in a circle on the floor and the leader asked them each to recite their favorite Scripture verse. In turn, each sailor shared a verse and briefly commented on it. Roy sat there in terror. Even though he grew up in a Christian home and went to church three times a week he still couldn't recall a single bible verse. Finally, the young man remembered one verse - John 3:16. He silently rehearsed it in his mind as the spotlight of attention grew closer as each sailor took their turn. And then his worse fear came to fruition. Right before it was his time to speak, the sailor before him recited John 3:16. Roy panicked when he realized that the sailor before him had taken his verse! He was stunned and humiliated when everyone realized that he could not recall from memory even a single verse. And later that night he went to bed thinking to himself, "Robertson, you're a fake." The next morning at 7:55 Roy and all the other sailors were awakened by the ship alarm ordering them to battle stations. 360 planes of the Japanese Imperial Fleet were attacking their ship and the other military installations. Roy and his crew raced to their machine gun emplacement, but all they had were practice ammunition. So, for the first fifteen minutes of the two-hour battle, they only fired blanks hoping to scare the Japanese airplanes. Later Roy shared, as he stood there firing fake ammunition he thought, "Robertson, this is how your whole life has been - firing blanks for Christ." There and then he made up his mind as Japanese bullets slammed into their ship, "If I escape with my life, I will get serious about following Jesus." Roy Robertson did get serious. He became the first missionary of "The Navigators" and did a lot of work with Billy Graham as well. Beloved, what I want to ask you is are you growing mature in the Lord or are you firing blanks for Christ? Today in prayer, examine your walk with the Lord and seek to grow deeper in maturity with Him, for the bible tells us that every day we are under attack by Satan. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to, Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. But one of the main weapons God has given us to fight with is the Bible. But if we don t have God s Word in our head and in our heart, then like David we cannot proclaim, I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalms 119:11, NLT) But if we do not learn God s Word and hold it in our hearts, then like Roy, when we go into battle with evil, we will be shooting blanks. Beloved, let us take the time to listen, learn, and let God s Word empower us and give us the peace and protection that God has promised us. God bless your hearts. Pastor Frederick Sampson November 2017

2 Page 2 HPFUMC Newsletter November 2017 Return to Standard Time Sunday, November 5, 2017 Don t forget that Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 AM on Sunday, November 5. Turn your clocks back one hour! SOCK Collection 2017 We will be collecting socks in all sizes once again this year for the Holiday Basket Committee that services families and seniors in the Hazel Park School District. We will be collecting through Sunday, Dec. 10th. If you d like to help assemble the socks into groups of 3 pair packages or help with the basket assembling in mid-december, please contact Sue Anderson. During our worship service on Sunday, November 5, we will recognize All Saints Day. This is an opportunity to give thanks for all those who have gone before us in the faith. It is a time to celebrate our history, what United Methodists call the tradition of the church. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, especially enjoyed and celebrated All Saints Day. In a journal entry from November 1, 1767, Wesley calls it a festival I truly love. On the same day in 1788, he writes, I always find this a comfortable day. The following year he calls it a day that I peculiarly love. Among others, we will especially remember the three church members we have lost during the past 12 months: Rose Bussiere, Patricia Rosso, and Sue Gibson. - Food Pantry Update - Our church food pantry continues to serve approximately 2 families per week. At the present time, the pantry is fairly well stocked, but we are in need of a few select items, including all types of cereal, crackers, canned spaghetti or ravioli, as well as all types of canned meat (tuna, chicken, etc.). Donations can be dropped off near the pantry cabinet in the north stairwell. Hazel Park First will be Hanging the Greens on Saturday, November 25, 2016 at 1:00 PM. Everyone is invited to come and help decorate our church for the Christmas season. For additional information contact Renee Dusseau at

3 Page 3 - Thanksgiving Gift Boxes HPFUMC Newsletter November 2017 For the 7th consecutive year, Hazel Park First will be assisting City Edge Church with their annual Thanksgiving food program. This year s goal is to assemble 36 Complete Traditional Thanksgiving Dinners for needy families in our community. On Sunday afternoon, November 19, volunteers will be needed to assemble the boxes at City Edge Church and deliver them throughout the community. In addition, on Wednesday, November 22, we will prepare deliver smaller individual-size meals to those living alone. Anyone wishing to volunteer with this effort is asked to contact John Sarns or simply show up at City Edge Church on November 19 or November 22. City Edge Church is located at Hughes Ave. (the blue building in Hazel Park. Anyone wishing to receive a basket is asked to contact City Edge Church at Items Needed: Turkeys- Varying sizes - (36 ea) Bagged Stuffing Croutons - (72ea) ** Fresh Onions (36 small bags) ** Fresh Celery (36 stalks) * Stick Margarine (36-1lb boxes) 5 lb Bag of Potatoes - (36ea) Canned Sweet Potatoes (36ea Lg) Brown Sugar (small bags) (36ea) Canned Green Beans - (108ea) Enough already on hand * Cream of Chicken or Mushroom Soup - (36ea) * French Fried Onions - (36ea) Corn (Can or frozen) - (72ea) Jellied Cranberry Sauce - (36ea) Enough already on hand * Disposable Salt & Pepper Shakers w/salt & Pepper - (36 sets) Pumpkin or Apple Pies-Frozen (72 ea) * Tub Whipped topping (Cool Whip) - (72ea) -can freeze Brown and Serve Rolls - (36ea) Large Cooking Bags - (36ea) Large Turkey Pans - (36ea) All items can be dropped off at the church on Sunday, or anytime during the week at the Hazel Park Library, or the Hazel Park Community Center at 315 Woodward Heights. Money can also be donated to purchase last minute items - call City Edge at Any extra food ingredients will be placed in the food pantry in the church house or taken to the Hazel Park Holiday gift box program for the Christmas Holiday; whichever has the greater need. ** Perishable item: Needed around November 15. The Frederick G. Sampson Foundation On Thanksgiving Morning, the Frederick G. Sampson Foundation (named in honor of our pastor s late father) will be teaming up with Hartford Memorial Baptist Church to deliver meals to those in need. Worship is at 8:00 AM, and right after you pick up the number of meals you want to deliver and you are done in time to celebrate with your family. Hartford Memorial is located at James Couzens (Lodge freeway service drive) just south of 7 Mile Rd. If you are interested in being part of this community service, see Pastor Frederick or Pam Samson.

4 Page 4 HPFUMC Newsletter November 2017 Please continue to keep those on our prayer list in your daily prayers. Health Concerns: Rick Tate, Frank Cox, Norma Pugh, Kay Middleton, Betty Baker, Melissa Schumaker (granddaughter of Norma Pugh), Christina Anderson, Marsha Day-Kuhn (Norma Pugh s daughter), Bill and Remi Anderson, Patricia Gebo, JoAnna Prudden, Lynda McChesney, Carolina Reed, Rick & Gloria Kachadorian, Dennis Rash, and Kathryn Ostrolencki (granddaughter of Jerry and Sharon Allen). Serving in the Armed Forces: Casey Allen, Brendan Schemers, Ronald Turner and Chris Collis. Church Leaders: Bishop David Bard, Conference Cabinet Members, District Superintendent Rev. Dr. Charles Boayue, Jr., the Detroit Renaissance District, and our Pastor Rev. Dr. Fredrick G. Sampson, III. The men of HP First continue to meet for breakfast and fellowship, usually on the first Saturday of every month. The date of our November breakfast is Saturday, November 4, and our he date of the December breakfast is Saturday, December 2. Meetings are at 10:00 AM at Classic Coney Restaurant, Dequindre Rd. (at Woodward Heights) in Hazel Park. For more information, contact Rob Narducci at Blue? Yes, blue as in the blues. As in "I am feeling blue." Not everyone is up and cheery for the Christmas holidays. Dealing with the death of a loved one, facing life after divorce or separation, coping with the loss of a job, living with cancer or some other dis-ease that puts a question mark over the future, and a number of other human situations make parties and joviality painful for many people in our congregation and community. To reflect on this, we will have a Blue Christmas service on Wednesday, December 13 at 6:30 PM. Please join us as we pray for healing and hope. Blue Christmas Service Wednesday, December 13 6:30 PM The service is close to the longest night of the year, which falls on or about December 21st, the Winter Solstice. There is an interesting convergence for this day as it is also the traditional feast day for Saint Thomas the Apostle. This linkage invites making some connections between Thomas's struggle to believe the tale of Jesus' resurrection, the long nights just before Christmas, and the struggle with darkness and grief faced by those living with loss. Calendar Reminders: Our ongoing Sunday morning bible study continues in the small meeting room downstairs. Every Sunday at 10:00 AM. Everyone is welcome! Pastor Sampson will begin an evening Advent Studies Class on Thursday, November 30. The class, entitled When God Comes Down will continue every Thursday through December 20. Time of the class and cost of the book will be announced in the church bulletin. Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year. We will have our normal 11:15 AM service, but NO evening service. Our weekly Praise Team practice has moved to TUESDAYS at 5:00 PM.

5 First United Methodist Church of Hazel Park AA Meetings: Monday thru Friday at 6:30 Saturday: 10:30 am & 8:00 pm Sunday: Women Only at 6:00 Women with Faith 1:00 PM Men's Breakfast 10:00 Classic Coney Worship Service w/ communion 11:15 AM DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING 6:30 PM CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 PM Worship Service 11:15 AM Worship Service 11:15 AM HANGING OF THE GREENS 1:00 PM November Birthdays: Worship Service 11:15 AM Free Community Dinner at Ferndale UMC 6:00 7:30 PM Advent Study Class Begins. Time TBA Marianne Foske 3 Ka e McGhee Banninger 4 Charlene White 8 Joan Sarns 9 Ron Anderson 10 Aaron Hardy 11 Adam Hardy 19 Jessica Winship 24 Ray Kwaschnefski 28 Remi Anderson 30

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7 Hazel Park First United Methodist Church 315 E. Nine Mile Rd. Hazel Park, MI ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Church Office: Website: Upcoming Birthdays: Marianne Foskett November 3 Katie McGhee-Banninger - November 4 Charlene White - November 8 Joan Sarns - November 9 Ron Anderson - November 10 Aaron Hardy - November 11 Adam Hardy - November 19 Jessica Winship - November 24 Raymond Kwaschnefski - November 28 Remi Anderson - November 30 Upcoming Anniversary: Danny & Lisa Edwards - November 24